Terry Pomerantz simply loves pizza, either Napolitana or Romana. He also suggests a few Italian wines that pair well with pizza.
Differences between Pizza Napolitana and Pizza Romana.
The main difference between a Pizza Napolitana and a Pizza Romana is the dough. Here are recipes for a traditional Pizza Napolitana and classic Pizza Romana.
Pizza Napolitana Recipe
To make the dough for a Pizza Napolitana, it must be flipped to let in a maximum of air. The texture needs to be uniform and the edges slightly higher than the middle. Pizza Napolitana is garnished with tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil (the 3 colors on the Italian flag).
The dough is soft. It is made from water, flour, yeast and salt, without adding any oil or grease. Finally, the dough is cooked quickly (90 seconds) in a wood oven at a very high temperature (895o F/480o C).
Pizza Romana Recipe
The Pizza Romana dough is kneaded with a rolling pin. It can be round or rectangular. It is thin and crunchy, and is made from tender wheat flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil. It is kneaded with a pastry rolling pin and cooking time is longer (10 to 15 minutes). A variety of toppings can be added (mushrooms, prosciutto, anchovies, olives, etc.).
Terry’s pizza
Terry Pomerantz personally “always relies on the Kitchen Aid recipe” for his pizza dough. Terry’s pizzas are a mixture of Romana (various toppings) and Napolitana (thick and fluffy round pizza dough).
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 300 ml of hot water
- 150 g of tomato sauce
- 500 g of flour
- 5 g of instant yeast
- ¾ tsp of salt
- 200 g of mozzarella
- Fresh basil
Preparation
- Pour the hot water in the bowl of a food processor. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Mix in with a fork to dissolve yeast and make it foam.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with the food processor (speed 2) for 1 minute, until the dough is sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead for 8 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and make a ball with each part, by pushing the center lightly towards the top.
- Place both balls on a floured surface and brush with olive oil.
- Let the dough rest for 45 minutes.
- Flatten dough onto both fists.
- Make it spin in a circle
- When the dough has stretched enough, place it on the work surface.
- With your fingertips, work the dough to create a 1 cm edge (crust). Brush with olive oil and tomato sauce.
- Cook at 395 o F (200o C) for 10 minutes. Add the mozzarella and basil and cook for another 10 minutes.
“On the table, I’ll put peperoni and prosciutto slices, olives, green peppers, mushrooms, arugula and grated cheeses (parmesan, provolone and gorgonzola). This way my guests can really make their pizza their own!”
Terry’s pizza and wine pairing
Pizza Napolitana vs Romana? Terry Pomerantz loves both. He’ll pair his pizza with a Chianti like a Tarocco Classico Riserva Torraccia 2018 or a Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Classico 2019.
Terry Pomerantz, passionate about good food, shares with you his gastronomic favorites, tips and recipes, turning every meal into a memorable experience. Explore his culinary universe and discover the delights he suggests to tantalize your taste buds.